Japan fought back to strike another blow for Asia against Europe after the Socceroos’ win over Turkey.
By Jorg Soldwisch, AAP Japan have come from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands and strike another blow for European sides against their Asian counterparts at the 2026 South Korea opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic on the first day before Qatar struck in stoppage time to salvage a draw with Switzerland over the weekend.
The Socceroos’ stunning 2-0 win over Turkey on Sunday was another serious feather in the cap — particularly after Turkey’s captain expected the world No.22 to “dominate” Australia. For a long time on Monday morning it appeared the Netherlands would end Asia’s streak but Japan struck back twice to secure a point in what looms as a tight Group F. Daichi Kamada deflected a header from Koki Ogawa into the net in the 88th minute to reward the fighting Samurai Blue in a pulsating match in Dallas, Texas on Sunday.
Captain Virgil van Dijk headed the eighth-ranked Dutch ahead in the 51st minute and Crysencio Summerville restored the lead in the 64th with a classy shot into the far left corner. Japan had levelled for the first time from Keito Nakamura’s low shot in the 57th as the game came to live after the break following a more cagey first half.
The Japanese maintained their unbeaten streak even though the draw ended a run of six victories, including against Brazil and at Wembley against England. They had also not conceded in five matches until Liverpool’s van Dijk ended that run. They are considered dark horses and finally want to win a knock-out match after four last-16 defeats when they got out of the group. In 2022 they beat Germany and Spain in the group before losing on penalties against Croatia.
“Unfortunately we didn’t win today but we will do that in the next game ,” player of the match Van Dijk said. Coach Ronald Koeman regretted that his team let a lead slip twice but said the draw was OK “based on the chances at both ends. I thought it was a top-class match, so you can be happy with a draw.
” The Dutch are three-time finalists and went out on penalties in the quarter-finals against eventual champions Argentina in 2022. Ronald Koeman’s side started well with a third-minute chance from Donyell Malen whose shot was saved by goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who also saved a header from the Dutch forward in the 37th. In-between Hiroki Ito aimed high, Nakamura shot just wide in the 43rd and Feyenoord Rotterdam’s Ayase Ueda hit the side-netting. The goals came after the break.
Oranje drew first blood after Japan had cleared a free-kick as Ryan Gravenberch’s cross found Van Dijk at the far post to nod home. The joy was short-lived as Nakamura found the left corner from the edge of the penalty area six minutes later. Another seven minutes on Gravenberch found Summerville who cut inside from the right and curled his first national team goal into the far corner in Arjen Robben fashion.
Suzuki made a big save against Cody Gakpo before the Japanese mounted the pressure in the closing stages. Bart Verbruggen saved well from Sugawara but in the 88th Ogawa’s header bouncing of Kamada’s head went in off his gloves. The other teams in the group are Tunisia and Sweden who meet later on Sunday at the Mexican venue of Monterrey.
Earlier in the day, Kai Havertz scored two goals as Germany overcame a brief scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before cruising to an emphatic 7-1 win in their Group E opener in Houston. Livano Comenencia levelled the game 1-1 with a left-footed strike in the 21st minute to give Curacao their first goal in the tournament and send fans of the tiny Caribbean nation into a frenzy.
But it was all Germany after that with the four-time champions regaining the lead on Nico Schlotterbeck’s header off Nathaniel Brown’s corner kick in the 38th minute. The margin of victory comes well short of the World Cup record of nine goals, which has happened three times, the last coming when Hungary saw off El Salvador 10-1 in 1982.
Havertz converted from the spot in first-half stoppage time to make it 3-1 after Germany were awarded a penalty shot when Felix Nmecha was tripped by Riechedly Bazoer. And Germany wasted no time after half-time to extend the lead with Jamal Musiala netting in the 47th minute, Brown making it 5-1 in the 68th and Deniz Undav adding a six goal before Havertz’s second goal came in the 88th minute.
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann said: “It took us a few minutes to get back into the game after they equalised. Curacao can play football too, as we saw, and I’m curious to see how they’ll fare in the group going forward.
“I’m very satisfied with us scoring seven goals and our performance for the most part. A winning start is always important and we’re glad we managed it. ” The crowd of 68,021 inside NRG Stadium was overwhelming rooting for Germany, but there was a spirited contingent of people cheering on Curaçao as it became the smallest country to ever appear in the tournament.
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